Title: Veritas
Rating: T
Pairing: Georg/Maria, OC
Summaries: Sequel to Building Trust. It's 1960. Little Lida Rose is all grown up and ready to face the world. What happens if she must learn the truth about her father?

Chapter One
Stowe, Vermont
April 4, 1960

"Happy Birthday, dear Papa. Happy Birthday to you!" The family finished its song in honor of Georg's 70th birthday as the family patriarch blew out the candles extinguishing all but one.

"Ah, one girlfriend," Lida laughed, earning her a quizzical look from her parents.

"That's what they say when you miss a candle at school," Lida explained.

Georg chuckled, "Modern stuff." He blew out the remaining candle then inserted the cake knife to cut the first piece.

The family had grown over the last 22 years since Georg married Maria. First with their precious Lida Rose, then with the births of two more beautiful daughters, Catherine and Julia. Liesl's Matthew was their first grandson and many more grandchildren followed. The Stowe farmhouse was always full of love and family; birthdays, holidays, Sundays, and that was how Georg and Maria liked it. This is what they worked for, sacrificed for, and it paid off in spades.

Maria gave her beloved husband a kiss then set about cutting and serving the cake.

"Aunt Rosa," Louisa's oldest child Robert piped up, "This is the best cake I've ever eaten!"

Friedrich laughed and ruffled the 12-year-olds hair. "You said that about the last cake for my birthday."

"Well, it's true," Georg confirmed. "Rosamaria, you do bake astonishingly well."

"You bake better than anyone I know," Maria replied. "You should think about opening a bakery. I know a lot of people that would appreciate home baked goods that aren't dry or pasty."

"You really should," encouraged Max. "I might even back you, well Georg and me, of course."

Georg laughed again, and said wryly, "Of course."

Max had showed up at the von Trap household just before VE day, escaping the utter destruction that was left behind by the war. Georg had embraced his friend, tears of relief and joy running down both men's cheeks. Max preferred the hustle and bustle of New York to the quiet of Stowe, but he was at the farm often enough.

Rosa looked at Friedrich, blushing at the praise. "You could call it Rosamaria's Bakery," Brigitta supplied. "I can help you with all your set up. It'll be great!"

"I can help you after school," Julia offered.

"And Cathy and I can on school break, and when I graduate in May I can be there even more," Lida joined in.

Friedrich laid his arm around Rosamaria 's shoulders, "Maybe you should think about it , honey. The children can help after school as well."

Rosamaria blushed again. "I have never heard of such foolishness, besides I've got no place."

"You could start small," Maria suggested. "There's that old storefront for rent in town, used to the butcher shop. I know from talking to the butcher's wife the lease on the store is up for sale. You can advertise it at church, get a booth at the bake sale to let people try things out. I think Rosamaria's is the perfect name for it too."

Rosamaria worried her lip and again looked at her husband as the idea bounced around in her head. "Rosamaria's Bakery, huh?"

"Maria is right, of course," Georg said as Rosamaria though over the idea. "I would certainly invest is such a venture."

"So would we," Liesl spoke up as she visually checked with Matthias.

Rosamaria began to laugh, then Friedrich laughed, then the entire family was laughing as they agreed to sponsor a new family business venture.

"You can try to open it by the end of May," Lida suggested. "I graduate on the 18th, I could be there to help you for the week before you open."

Lida had been attending Wellesley for the past four years and was due to graduate with a business degree. She didn't know yet what she might do with it, most of the girls in her class were obtaining degrees so they had something to talk about with their husbands' colleagues. Lida was one of the few that was not betrothed or already married.

"Easter is in two weeks," Georg reminded them. "You could do the Hot Cross Buns and such at the church."

As the family polished off the birthday cake and Linzer tarts, they all speculated about how successful the new venture could be.

Georg and Maria were still talking about it when they prepared for bed that evening. "Leave it to Max to offer sponsorship for both of us," Georg sighed. "But I'm glad of it. It'll be a hit I'm sure and Rosamaria is such a personable woman. That with her baking talent, things should go nicely."

"Plus it sounds like it might keep Lida home," Maria suggested. "I still can't believe you agreed to the idea of her going to Austria on her own."

Georg settled in bed with a sigh, "Not on her own, my love. With her school friends, but you know there's nothing I can deny her, nothing I can deny any of them really."

Maria arched her eyebrows at Georg as she slid into bed beside him. "Remember that when some young man comes asking about Lida, Cathy, or Jules and not have a replay of Curtis' proposal to Marta."

"I didn't like Curtis, I still don't like Curtis," Georg defended. "He's rude, arrogant, ornery, stubborn…"

"Darling, with the exception of rude you can be all of those things and still be a wonderful man whom I love more than anything," Maria whispered.

Georg grimaced, "Well, I can't promise I won't feel perturbed by a young man calling for Lida, Cathy, or Julia but I'll try. Whose to say I'll even be consulted, the way these kids are now. Modern age and all."

Maria cuddled up to Georg and rubbed her hand up and down his chest. "Still, I hope the bakery idea is draw enough for Lida to reconsider. It isn't that I don't want her to broaden her horizons and travel if she wants to before settling down, but Germany and Austria…Our name is still known there and you have enemies, Georg. Besides, if she really starts to look into our past she might find out things we prefer she didn't."

Georg kissed the top of Maria's head. They had honored their vow to keep Lida's true paternity a secret from her and the rest of the family. They were pretty sure Liesl knew but she never wanted it confirmed and they never confirmed it. As far as the rest of the children were concerned Lida was Georg's daughter in every way.

"I don't think that's what is really bothering you," Georg offered. "I think it's because Lida is your mirror image and we don't know if that animal still lives in Austria or even if he's still alive. I think you're worried history will repeat itself, but the odds of that…"

Maria bristled a bit at Georg's words. He sighed, "If it upsets you this much I won't let her go, I'll insist she travel to France or Spain, okay?"

"I'm being silly," Maria admitted. "I know there are hundreds of thousands of people in Austria and the likelihood…it's an irrational fear. If she asks you again, I trust your judgment."

"Hopefully she will get into the new business venture and not ask," Georg replied. "I'll have to see how it feels in the moment I think, but we can hope, can't we?"

"We certainly can," Maria said as she leaned up to give Georg a warm kiss. "Happy Birthday, my love."

Georg eagerly returned Maria's kiss, whispering against her lips, "Thank you for making it that way." The rest of their communication was silent.

A/N: Okay, you persuaded me to do a sequel, but I'm writing it on the fly. I didn't want too much time to pass between posting the end of Building Trust and getting this one going. There will probably be like 7-10 days between updates.

This piece probably won't be as long as Building Trust but that wasn't supposed to be that long either so you never know. Thanks again for all the support.